Chapter 8 The American Revolution

What do people believe is worth fighting for?  Friction between Britain and the colonist developed as Britain imposed taxes and tighter control on the colonies.  Conflicts between the colonists and the British eventually led to the American Revolution.  In Unit 3, the French and British both desired territory in North America, which was the cause of the war that followed.  The effect was the French and Indian War.

The Stamp Act & Townshed Acts  The British imposed the Stamp Act and the Townshed Acts of the colonist because Britain needed money.

Colonists Protest  The effects of the colonists protests against the British taxes were that Patrick Henry spoke at the House of Burgesses; the Sons of Liberty was formed; and the colonist boycotted British goods.

Speaking Out  One of the first people to speak out against the Stamp Act was Patrick Henry.

British Taxation  The effect of British taxation on the colonies as a whole was that they started to unite as Americans.

Sons of Liberty  The Sons of Liberty was organized by Samuel Adams.

Daughters of Liberty  The Daughters of Liberty supported the boycott of British goods by making tea and weaving cloth.

Communities of Correspondence  The purpose of Communities of Correspondence was to share news among the colonies.

Boston Tea Party  The Boston Tea Party expressed the views of many colonist by showing that the colonists strongly protested the tea tax.

Intolerable Acts  The Boston Tea Party caused the Intolerable Acts.  The Intolerable Acts included that the colonists had to feed and house British soldiers; the port of Boston was closed; and Massachusetts was put under the control of a British general.

Patriots  A patriot was a colonist who opposed British rule.

Battle for Relief of Boston  George Washington offered to lead men in the battle for the relief of Boston.

British Attack  One Patriot who warned of the British attack was Paul Revere.  The battle of Lexington began with the “shot heard round the world.”  William Prescott led the colonists in the battle of Bunker Hill.

A meaningful slogan – No taxation without representation!  The colonists were being taxed by the British. The colonists had been self-governed for years; they did not vote in Britain, and therefore had no representation there. The colonists believed the British had no right to tax them since they had not vote in Britain.

Did the British expect their actions to cause the colonists to unite?  No. The British expected to show the colonists that Britain was in control. They did not expect the colonists to fight them.

Events that lead to the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party  British-imposed taxes on the colonists created tension between the British and colonists. British soldiers panicked during a protest and caused the Boston Massacre. The British repealed all the taxes except the one on tea in an effort to prove to the colonists that they had the power to tax the colonies. The colonists protested and caused the Boston Tea Party.

Similarities between the Committees of Correspondence and colonial minutemen  Both were created to help the colonists resist British control.  Both were designed to help colonists take immediate action when problems arose with the British.

Purpose of the First Continental Congress  The First Continental Congress voted on what actions to take against Britain until the Intolerable Acts were repeated.

The meaning of – Give me liberty or give me death!  Patrick Henry was ready to fight the British to the death if, necessary, to achieve freedom. He preferred death to living under the rule of the British.

The success of Paul Revere’s Ride  The evidence that Paul Revere’s ride was a success was that the British were outnumbered at Concord and suffered great losses during their retreat to Boston.

Result of the Patriots on Bunker Hill waiting to see the white of the eyes of the British soldiers before firing.  The result was that the Patriots could see the British troops in order to fire accurately at them. The British suffered heavy losses before finally winning the Battle of Bunker Hill.